social science and creativity - a british academy debate

www.iccliverpool.ac.uk | www.beatrizgarcia.net

Dr Beatriz Garcia

Head of ResearchInstitute of Cultural Capital

University of Liverpool

Social Science and Creativity – Panel DiscussionBritish Academy and The Creative Exchange | London, 22 February 2012


The rise and rise of ‘creativity’• Creativity… the ‘in’ word for the new millennium

– Culture and regeneration was the focus for discussion in the 1980s and 1990s– The notion of ‘creative cities’, ‘creative clusters’ emerged in the 1990s (Landry, Comedia...)– Richard Florida introduced the notion of the ‘creative class’ in 2002 and became a ‘best-seller’ – By 2009, culture is not enough… we need ‘creative culture’, ‘creative arts’, ‘creative business’

• We are living a ‘creative turn’ in policy circles worldwide– Everyone wants a ‘creative economy’. Creativity is perceived as the ultimate solution

• European Capital of Culture groomed as catalyst for Europe’s ‘creative turn’– Glasgow 1990 offers an interesting case study : the city pioneered many of the narratives that are

common place today. It told its story well (myth-making?)– Liverpool 2008 has re-appropriated the story in a more competitive context . The city has been

forced to ‘prove its case’ through a stronger evidence-base

• Challenge : the evidence base is still weak. – Pressure to prove the ‘impact’ of cultural interventions through statistical indicators. – The Impacts 08 programme was established to test the case, and combine quantitative indicator

assessment with qualitative narrative assessment.


access &participation

economy & tourism

cultural vibrancy

image & perceptions

governance & delivery

employmentvisitor trends

investment

creativityproduction

consumption

inclusion, outreach, diversity

media coveragepeople’s views

aims + objectivespolicy, strategy

social capital

physical environment

equalitieswell-beingquality of life

infrastructures public realm sustainability

Impacts 08 research framework |


Liverpool | established representations• Nationally

– Crime and violence, poverty, unemployment, health and education issues

Images being circulated online around the time of the

bid 2002, early 2003


• InternationallyThe Beatles, Football, the Waterfront

Liverpool | established representations


Constructing the ECoC | reimaging Liverpool


Capturing people’s experience of the city


AHRC/ESRC Impact Fellowship | Young adults (16-24)

Research by Dr Tomke Lask(2007-2009)


Cultural CompanyAHRC/ESRC Impact Fellowship | Cultural Producers

Research by Dr Tomke Lask(2007-2009)


Cultural producers

Cultural Producers | Research by Tomke Lask (2007-2009)

www.iccliverpool.ac.uk | www.beatrizgarcia.net36-55 year olds | Research by Tomke Lask (2007-2009)

www.iccliverpool.ac.uk | www.beatrizgarcia.net56-69 year olds | Research by Tomke Lask (2007-2009)


Capturing media representations


The ECoC image cycle … 2007 Media controversies


The ECoC image cycle … 2008 Media boost


Volume of national coverage on Liverpool ECoC

Number and tone of national press articles mentioning the Liverpool ECoC

Source: Impacts 08 research


Thematic focus from bid announcement onwards

• Nationally, ECoC mainly presented as image and economic catalyst in 2003; by 2008 – focus on cultural stories, wider image renaissance and leadership issues• Locally, more emphasis on physical change ; though dramatic drop since 2005

• 2003 –economic & social focus (nationally); locally, the social dimension has grown since 2005- 2007 – mainly focus on culture stories, then management (controversies?)- 2008 – returns to trend in 2005 – culture, then image, then management, then social issues


• Liverpool ECoC coverage has remained mainly positive• Nationally, the peak was in 2003, locally, it has been in 2008• 2007 to 2008 transition quite marked locally and nationally

National Local

Attitudinal trends (2003- 2008)


Capturing creativity | Social scientist responsibilities

• New modes of interrogation | blurring boundaries between researcher & subject of research– Submersion into object of study– Longitudinal commitment

• Interpreting data | bridging conventions – Translating narratives into trends / numbers / visualisations– Benchmarking narratives against comparable settings / data

• Research framework | interdisciplinary methods– Overcoming artificial walls between social science & humanities– Finding synergy / links with natural & environmental (physical) science


Programme overview•Impacts 08 Baseline Findings 2006-2007 (2007)•Impacts 08: Methodological framework (2010)•[Final Report] Creating an Impact (2010)

Image and Perceptions- Media Impact Assessment (Part I) (2006)- Re-telling the City: exploring local narratives (2007)- Liverpool 08 Centre of the Online Universe (2009)- The Look of the City: Public Realm (2010)- Media Impact Assessment (Part II) (2010)

Impacts 08 reports | Cultural & Creative Narratives

Economy and Tourism- Doing Business in the ECoC (Part II): (2008) - ECoC and Liverpool’s Developer Market: (2008)-Tourism and the Business of Culture (2010)

Cultural Access and Participation- Volunteering for Culture (2010)-Neighbourhood Watch (2010)

Cultural Vibrancy and Sustainability- Liverpool's Creative Industries (2009)-Liverpool’s Arts Sector (2009)

Governance and Delivery Process- Who Pays the Piper? (2008)-Liverpool on the map again (2010)

All reports available at: www.impacts08.net

social science and creativity - a british academy debate

Education

media impact

dr tomke lask

tomke lask

cultural producers

part ii

impact

local

case